The Mexican cuisine of Michoacan

Mexican food we know. But how many of us are familiar with the cuisine of the different regions of Mexico? Just as in the U.S., each region of that country has its own unique tastes and dishes. If you’re interested in knowing more about these regional differences, you might check out Patricia Jinich’s essay for NPR’s Kitchen Window, in which she extols the wonders of both the food and the sights in the Mexican state of Michoacan.

It surprises me how Michoacan’s cuisine has remained such a well-kept secret. It has a defined personality and a complex layering of delicious flavors like the more popular cuisines from Oaxaca and Puebla, but its dishes seem to be a bit more comforting and use fewer ingredients.

What’s more, some of Michoacan’s basic ingredients, such as pasilla chilies, tomatillos, cotija cheese and fruit pastes, have become readily available in stores outside of Mexico.

My love for Michoacan is inevitably tied to its food, but it goes well beyond its kitchens. The first time I went to Michoacan as a little girl, it had such an impact on me that whenever our family planned a trip, I begged my parents to return there. It wasn’t only the enchanting cobbled streets, the immense wooden doors framed in cantera stone, the aromas of freshly made breads and ground mountain coffee, or the town squares filled with dozens of home-style ice cream carts and sweets stands, all surrounded with colorful balloons and birdseed sellers. There was something more.

If you read the entire story, it includes recipes for such regional dishes as bean and tomato soup, and guava cheesecake.

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